Student Leaders

Students leading the way

As the first member of her family to attend university, Rebecca Nguyen Le has made the most of her opportunity to pursue higher education.

She has shown exceptional leadership throughout her time at QUT, and involved herself in many university and community activities. Currently holding nine executive positions within various QUT student clubs, Rebecca has helped build several organisations from the ground up, including QUT Oxfam, QUT United Nations Student Association, and QUT’s Australian Youth Climate Coalition. She also supports her fellow students through mentoring and support programs.

Her passion for social justice runs through all aspects of her life. Outside of QUT, Rebecca is Youth Minister for Health and Disability Services for Queensland Youth Parliament. She also volunteers with the Women’s Legal Service, assisting on issues such as domestic violence, family law, and parenting, and is an active fundraiser for many community initiatives.

Despite her busy work and volunteer schedule, Rebecca has managed to achieve excellent academic performance with a grade point average of 6.18, and was recently awarded the Ashurst Rod Bush Memorial Scholarship in recognition of her achievements. Rebecca is in her third year of university and currently completing a Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours).

“My biggest passion is probably social justice… one of the things that really drives me is being able to be the voice of those people who can’t [speak for themselves] because there are a lot of people out there who don’t have the opportunity or the means to actually tell people about these types of issues.”

Last year she was awarded the Dr Joe Goodall Community Engagement Award for the youth member who did the most in their community. But Rebecca admits that it’s the help of other that has propelled her to where she is today.

“I’ve gotten a lot of help from people along the way, and I really want to give back to the community because of the work that these people have done to help me. I think it’s amazing to be able to give back to them. And it’s a ripple effect – it just goes on, and on, and on. And an individual can change the world.”

Rebecca was presented the QUT Alumni Student Leadership Award at the award ceremony in May.

Also receiving recognition at the awards were outstanding students, who each received a 2018 QUT Alumni Special Excellence Award:

Jed Fraser – Bachelor of Exercise and Movement Science

Christopher McNeely – Bachelor of Business

The following students received a 2018 QUT Alumni Student Leadership Excellence Award: